Brief History

• The Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding (formerly known as Agricultural Botany) was established along with the College of Agriculture, Junagadh in the year 1960.
• Initially, the activities of the department were restricted to teaching mainly with a limited staff only up to the level of Assistant Professor.
• The work in the department got momentum and diversified into Teaching, Research and Extension activities from 1967.
• The research programs were intensified with the sanction of the Botanical Research Scheme aimed at the development of three Botanical Gardens namely, Motibaug, Paritalav and Laldhori.
• The plan Research scheme entitled “Department of Plant Physiology, Tissue Culture and Biotechnology” came into existence in the year 1997-98.
• Department of Seed Science & Technology came into existence in the year 2007-08, however, was separated and become functional as the separate department since 2012.
• RKVY scheme entitled “Commercial exploitation of date palm through tissue culture at botany, J.A.U., Junagadh” came into existence during the year 2019-20 to 2021-22, which helps to strengthen PTC with good facilities.
• Nine other agency projects had been completed by the department during last two-years.

Mandates

Teaching and Research

Extension

• Participation in KrushiMahotsav, Krushi mela and farmers fairs.
• Knowledge sharing to the Visiting Farmers, Government Officials, Students of different Universities, Distinguished Visitors, NGO and VIPs.
• Publications of popular articles, TV and Radio talks.
• Supplying quality planting materials/saplings of Medicinal and Aromatic plants/Ornamental plants and Tissue Culture Plantlets of Banana.

Objectives:

1. To provide the intellectually and trained human resource for the public and private sector to develop the strategies of agricultural crops breeding and development of varieties/hybrids suitable to climate change, biotic and abiotic stresses, better quality and productivity to meet the demands and requirements of the farmers and consumers.
2. To conduct applied research in the field of Genetics and Plant Breeding and Plant Physiology taking care of basic and translational biotechnology and fosters interactions and collaboration among faculties, researchers, seed industries and farmers.
3. To conserve plant biodiversity of Medicinal and Aromatic plants at Botanical Gardens.
4. To develop, implement and evaluate the curriculum of Genetic and Plant Breeding and Plant Physiology with a strong commitment to be aligned and comply with the national standards.

Faculty Strength (Current Position)

Technical Staff (Current Position)

Supporting Staff (Current Position)

Courses Offered at UG /PG and Others (Current Year Odd & Even Sem.)

(A) Under Graduate Programme, B.Sc. (Hons.) Agri.

 As per 5^th Dean

As per 6^th Dean

(B) Post Graduate Courses (As per BSMA)

(C) Polytechnic / Agro-Based ITI

Laboratory Facility

List of Major Equipment / Instruments

Farm Facilities

ELP Facilities

Details of Plants Sold by the Department and Motinagh Nursery (2020-2025)

Note:   
As per the requitevment differenet varieties viz; Grand Naine, Red banana, Elaichi, Vaman, Soneri, Khakariyu, Peda and Mahalakshmi of Tissue-cultured Banana are produced at the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding.

M.Sc (Agri.)/Ph.D. Students Guided

Post Graduates thesis submitted (1968 to 2025)

Faculty Participated in Trainings/Refresher Course/Summer/Winter School, etc. (2020-2025)

Seminar /Symposia / Workshop, etc. Attended by Faculty (2020-2025)

Seminar/workshop/symposia, etc. organized by the Department (2020-2025)

Training organized by the Department (2020-2025)

Research Papers Published in Reputed Journals (2020-2025)

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Research Papers Presented in Seminar/Symposia, etc. (2020-2025)

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Other Publications (Books, Book chapter, Practical Manuals, Bulletins etc.) (2020-2025)

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Recommendations for farmers

1.  Effect of brassinolide on physiological and yield related traits of chickpea and their relationship with yield (2016-17).      
The farmers of South Saurashtra Agro Climatic Zone growing chickpea under irrigated condition are advised to use Brassinolide (BS) as seed treatment for 2 hrs @ 0.50 mgL-1 (0.04% w/w min) to obtain higher grain yield and net return.      
દક્ષિણ સૌરાષ્ટ્ર ખેત આબોહવાકિય વિસ્તારમાં પિયત ચણાનું નું વાવેતર કરતા ખેડૂતોને વધારે ઉત્પાદન અને આર્થિક વળતર મેળવવા માટે વૃધ્ધિ વર્ધક બ્રાસિનોલાઇડમાં @ 0.50 mgL-1 BS (૧૨.૫ મીલી લિટર બ્રાસિનોલાઇડ લઇ ૧૦ લિટર પાણીમાં ઓગાળી, દ્રાવણ બનાવું) ૨ કલાક બીજમાવજત આપી વાવેતર કરવાની ભલામણ કરવામાં આવે છે.        
2.  Effect of pre-treatment of seeds on seed emergence and seedling vigour of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) (2018-19).      
The farmers of South Saurashtra region growing coriander are advised that the bitted seeds of coriander with pre-treatment of GA3 @ 50 mg/ liter for 12 hrs or Nacl @ 2g/ liter for 12 hrs or the bitted seeds tied in wet coarse cloth (Pacchedi) for 12 hrs gives early emergence with good germination percentage and seedling vigour.       
દક્ષિણ સૌરાષ્ટ્ર વિસ્તારમાં ધાણાનું વાવેતર કરતા ખેડૂતોને સલાહ આપવામાં આવે છે કે ફાટેલા ધાણા બીજને વાવેતર પહેલાં GA₃ @ ૫૦ પી.પી.એમ. દ્રાવણમાં ૧૨ કલાક સુધી પલાળ્યા બાદ અથવા ફાટેલા ધાણા બીજને ભીંજવેલી પાછેડીમાં બાંધી ૧૨ કલાક સુધી રાખ્યા બાદ વાવેતર કરવાથી ધાણાનો વહેલો ઉગાવો, સારી અંકુરણ ટકાવારી તથા વધુ રોપા તાકાત મળે છે.      
3.  Assessment of best practices for storage of turmeric planting material (2022-23)      
The farmers of South Saurashtra agroclimatic zone growing turmeric are recommended to store the rhizomes of turmeric from their produce to be used as planting material in next season should be stored in soil pit storage as it showed maximum germination per cent with minimum loss in weight and more number of healthy rhizomes      
દક્ષિણ સૌરાષ્ટ્ર ખેત આબોહવાકીય વિસ્તારમાં હળદરનું વાવેતર કરતાં ખેડૂતો માટે ભલામણ કરવામાં આવે છે.કે, આગામી સીઝનમાં હળદરની ગાંઠોનો વાવેતરમાં ઉપયોગ કરવા માટે હળદરની ગાંઠોનો  જમીનમાં ખાડો કરી સંગ્રહ કરવો એનાથી મહતમં ઉગાવાની ટકાવારી સાથે  ગાંઠોના વજનમાં ઓછો ઘટાડો તેમજ વધારે સંખ્યામાં તંદુરસ્ત ગાંઠો વાવેતર માટે મળી રહે છે.      
4.  Propagation of a rare and medicinally important declining shrub species Agnimantha (Premna serratifolia L.) by hardwood cuttings (2023-24)      
The nurserymen of Saurashtra region are recommended to use plant growth regulator either IBA @ 450 ppm or IAA @ 450 ppm [i.e 450 mg in one litre water] for 15 minutes for better propagation in hardwood cuttings of Agnimantha (Premna serratifolia L.)       
સૌરાષ્ટ્ર વિસ્તારના નર્સરીમેનને આથી ભલામણ કરવામાં આવે છે કે, અગ્નિમંથા કટકાને ૪૫૦ પી.પી.એમ. આઈ.બી.એ (IBA) અથવા ૪૫૦ પી.પી.એમ. આઈ.આઈ.એ. (IAA) (૪૫૦ મીલીગ્રામ એક લીટર પાણીમાં) ૧૫ મિનિટ સુધી છોડ વૃદ્ધિ નિયંત્રકનાં દ્રાવણમાં રાખવાથી સારો ઉગાવો જોવા મળે છે.      
 

Recommendations for scientific community       
1. The study of fresh seed dormancy in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) (2015-16)      
It is recommended to scientific community that to store the seed of sesame for a month (30 days) after harvest followed by drying increases the seed germination percentage and seedling vigour for sowing in next season.      
2. Effect of date of sowing and pre-treatment of seeds with GA3 on seed germination and seedling vigour of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) (2015-16)      
It is recommended to scientific community that sowing of cumin seed in the third week of November along with pre-soaking treatment of 50 ppm Gibbrelic acid (GA3) for 12 hrs to cumin seed at room temperature increases germination with enhanced seedling vigour in cumin.      
3. Application of brassinolide to mitigate saline stress during germination and growth period in chickpea (2020-21)      
It is recommended to scientific community that while sowing chickpea seed under saline area, the treatment combination of 2.0 (EC) dSm-1 (S1) with pre-soaking of 0.25 ppm brassinolide (B2) for 2 hrs before sowing increases growth parameters and seed yield per plant. As the salinity level increases, the pre-soaking application of 0.25 ppm brassinolide (BS) also helps in increasing the various growth parameters and seed yield per plant. The application of 0.25 ppm brassinolide (B2) was also found better to mitigate saline stress as compared to control and 0.50 ppm brassinolide (B3) on the basis of salinity indices.      
4. Micropropagation in Kankoda (Momordica dioica Roxb.) (2020-21)      
For micro-propagation of Kankoda, the following protocol is used      
I. Surface sterilization: Internodal explant of kankoda was used after surface sterilization with carbendazim for 30 minutes followed by 0.1 % Mercuric chloride treatment for 15 minutes and washed with sterilized distilled water for four to five times for removing traces of the chemicals.      
II. Shoot multiplication: The low concentration of kinetin (MS + K1) was significantly effective for number of days taken for shoot initiation and maximum number of shoots development.      
III. In-vitro rooting: Minimum number of days taken for root initiation was observed in half strength MS medium supplemented with high concentration of IBA (IBA3).      
IV. Hardening: For acclimatization of in-vitro multiplied seedlings in greenhouse, a pot mixture of soil: sand (1: 1; volume basis) was successfully used which gave 60-65% and 90-95% survival rate of plantlets for primary and secondary hardening, respectively.      
5. Synchronization of flowering in parental lines of released hybrids of pearl millet viz., GHB 1129 and GHB 1225 (2024-25)      
The scientists involved in hybrid seed production of pearl millet recommended that to avoid staggered planting of parental lines of hybrid GHB 1129, it is advisable to apply to foliar spray of 2 % urea to female line (ICMA 99222) at boot leaf stage along with recommended dose of fertilizer for getting higher hybrid seed yield.       
In case of hybrid GHB 1225, to avoid staggered planting it is suggested to apply foliar spray of 2 % DAP to female line (ICMA 98222) at boot leaf stage along with recommended dose of fertilizer for getting higher hybrid seed yield.      
6. Effect of different storage temperature on pollen viability of coconut cv. Green Dwarf (2024-25)      
The pollen grains of coconut var. Green Dwarf can be stored up to 303 days with good viability at -40⁰ C temperature, 272 days with good viability at -20 ⁰C temperature, 226 days with good viability at 50 % RH in Desiccators at room temperature 194 days with good viability at -4°C temperature and 135 days with good viability at room temperature.

Research Schemes/Projects Completed

On-Going Research Schemes/Projects (2025-26)

Ongoing Research experiments conducted (2025-26)

ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION OF THE DEPARTMENT

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Budget head wise sanction Grant and Utilization (up to Dec., 2025)

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Medicinal Plants informations:

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1. Short Information Regarding Medicinal and Aerometic Plants
2. Latin Names and Families of Various Medicinal Plants
3. Scietific Cultivation Practices for Medicinal Crops
4. Information of the Suitable Medicinal Crops in Saurashtra Region
5. Botanical Gardens under the Department
6. Laldhori Botanical Garden
7. Motibaug Botanical Garden
8. Biodiversity at Motibaug
9. Paritalav Botanical Garden